earth
WHY IS ROSA SMILING?
Meet Rosa and her 8 new wheels story by Kristin Arzt photos by Cathy Niland
R
osa Dorantes, The Crucible’s Ceramics Department Head, has been working with clay since she was in 7th grade. She proudly remembers having her early ceramics work displayed at her local mall, and stuck with ceramics throughout high school and college. Now, Rosa is proud to be expanding our ceramics studio, doubling the square footage and bringing a longawaited update to the department—eight new pottery wheels. After the turbulence of this past year and living through the pandemic, pottery is enjoying a resurgence in popularity. More students are interested in learning ceramics than our department has ever seen. Rosa sees this as an inherent response to the uncertainty that people have been experiencing. “When you are processing a lot of emotions, you need access to a physical release,” she shared. “Out of tragedy comes beauty.” Ceramics is a proven form of art therapy. In a 2015 study published in Art Therapy, researchers found that levels of cortisol, the hormone released in the body when stressed, decreased in 75% of individuals
6 THE CRUCIBLE magazine 2022
who engaged in artistic production. Hong Kong-based art psychotherapist Joshua K.M. Nan measured the effects of working with clay on adults with major depressive disorder. He found that those who were working with clay art therapy had lower levels of depression and improved “daily functioning, general mental health, and holistic BMS well-being.” Throwing on the wheel is a particularly meditative experience, combining physical movement, tactile sensation, mental focus, and a sense of accomplishment. “Wheel throwing is my own meditation space,” Rosa shared. “As I center clay on the wheel, I am also centering myself. It grounds and relaxes me.” Combine the mental health benefits with the sanctuary Rosa has created in our ceramics studio and you have a recipe for relaxation. “I want students to feel like they are coming into my home—to feel welcome in an environment where they can really express themselves,” Rosa mused. Our newly-expanded pottery studio is an opportunity for each student’s own creative expansion and exploration.
